Cooling cup

ABSTRACT

A cooling cup includes a cup body, a plurality of heat pipes and a heat sink. The cup body includes a bottom board and a surrounding wall. The surrounding wall is a tubular structure and defines an upper opening and a lower opening. The bottom board envelops the lower opening. Each heat pipe includes an evaporating section and a condensing section. The evaporating section thermally contacts the cup body. The heat sink thermally contacts the condensing section of the heat pipe.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201410700130.6 filed on Nov. 28, 2014, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD

The subject matter herein generally relates to a cooling device, and particularly to a cooling cup.

BACKGROUND

In many circumstances, hot liquid cannot be used immediately, but it takes a long time to cool the hot liquid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures.

FIG. 1 is an exploded view showing a cooling cup in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is another angle of exploded view showing the cooling cup of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an assembly drawing of the cooling cup of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts have been exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the present disclosure. The description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein.

Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure will now be presented. The term “comprising” means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in a so-described combination, group, series and the like. The term “coupled” is defined as connected, whether directly or indirectly through intervening components, and is not necessarily limited to physical connections. The connection can be such that the objects are permanently connected or releasably connected.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a cooling cup 10 comprises a cup body 100, a plurality of heat pipes 200 and a heat sink 300. The heat pipes 200 thermally contact the cup body 100. The heat sink 300 thermally contacts the heat pipes 200.

The cup body 100 comprises a bottom board 101 and a surrounding wall 102. The surrounding wall 102 is a tubular structure. The surrounding wall 102 defines an upper opening 103 and a lower opening 104. The bottom board 101 is coupled to the lower opening 104. The surrounding wall 102 circles the bottom board 101. The bottom board 101 envelops the lower opening 104. The bottom board 101 can be a flat structure or a curved structure. In this embodiment, the bottom board 101 is a curved structure. The bottom board 101 protrudes downwardly from the lower opening 104 of the surrounding wall 102. The bottom board 101 is smoothly connected to the lower opening 104. The cup body 100 can be made of heat conduction material. The cup body 100 can be made of metal. The cup body 100 comprises an inner surface 105 and an outer surface 106. A corrosion protecting layer (not shown) can be formed on the inner surface 105 of the cup body 100. The corrosion protecting layer can be made of stainless steel or ceramic.

The heat pipes 200 thermally contact the cup body 100. Each heat pipe 200 comprises an evaporating section 201 and a condensing section 202. The evaporating section 201 thermally contacts the cup body 100. The evaporating section 201 extends from the upper opening 103 of the cup body 100 downwards toward the lower opening 104 perpendicularly, and extends from the lower opening 104 to the bottom board 101. In this embodiment, the evaporating section 201 is attached on the outer surface 106 of the cup body 100. In other embodiments, the evaporating section 201 can be buried in the outer surface 106 of the cup body 100. In this embodiment, the evaporating section 201 is a linear structure along a height direction of the cup body 100. In other embodiments, the evaporating section 201 can be a curvilinear structure, such as an inclined structure or a twining structure. The evaporating section 201 is a flat shaped structure. A thermal conductivity material (not shown) can be sandwiched between the cup body 100 and the evaporating section 201. The condensing section 202 extends from the evaporating section 201 along a direction away from the cup body 100. The condensing section 202 is a cylinder-shaped structure. In this embodiment, the number of the heat pipes 200 is four.

An inner sealed chamber (not shown) is defined in the heat pipe 200. The inner sealed chamber of the heat pipe 200 is substantially a vacuum, with a liquid working medium accommodated therein. The working medium is employed to carry, under phase transitions between liquid state and vapor state, thermal energy from the evaporating section 201 of the heat pipe 200 to the condensing section 202 thereof. In operation, the working medium absorbs heat conducted from the cup body 100, becomes vaporized and moved away from the evaporating section 201. When the vaporized working medium arrives at the condensing section 202, it condenses back to liquid and releases heat. The condensed working medium is then pumped back to the evaporating section 201. The continuous cycle transfers large quantities of heat conducted from the cup body 100. The working medium can be water or alcohol. Further, the inner sealed chamber of the heat pipe 200 can comprise wick structure received therein. The wick structures can be formed by mesh structures, fibers or particles.

The heat sink 300 thermally contacts the heat pipes 200. The heat sink 300 can be located under the bottom board 101 of the cup body 100. The condensing section 202 of the heat pipe 200 thermally contacts the heat sink 300. The heat sink 300 comprises a cooling body 301. A plurality of contacting portions 303 are defined on the cooling body 301. The condensing section 202 thermally contacts the contacting portion 303. The contacting portion 303 can be a hole. The condensing section 202 of the heat pipe 200 inserts into the contacting portion 303. The heat sink 300 can comprise a bottom plate 304. The bottom plate 304 can be located under the cooling body 301. The bottom plate 304 can cover a bottom side of contacting portion 303. In at least one embodiment, the contacting portion 303 can be a blind hole. The thermal conductivity material (not shown) can be sandwiched between the contacting portion 303 and the condensing section 202 of the heat pipe 200. The number of the contacting portion 303 is equal to the number of the heat pipes 200. The heat sink 300 can further comprise a plurality of fins 302. The fins 302 are formed around the cooling body 301. The fins 302 are spaced from each other.

The cooling cup 10 can comprise a shell 400. The shell 400 covers the cup body 100 and the heat pipes 200. The shell 400 can be a tubular structure. The shell 400 comprises a top opening 401 and a bottom opening 402. The top opening 401 is coupled to the upper opening 103 of the cup body 100. An edge 107 is formed on the upper opening 103. The top opening 401 is connected to the edge 107. The edge 107 is a curved structure. A plurality of through holes 403 are formed around the shell 400. The through holes 403 are close to the bottom opening 402 of the shell 400. The through holes 403 can be adjacent to the lower opening 104 to expose the fins 302 therethrough.

Each fin 302 extends from the cooling body 301 to the shell 400. In at least one embodiment, all of the fins 302 can interconnect the cooling body 301 and the shell 400. In at least another embodiment, the fins 302 can extend from the cooling body 301 to the shell 400, and be spaced with the shell 400. In other embodiments, a part of the fins 302 can interconnect the cooling body 301 and an inner surface of the shell 400, and another part of the fins 302 can extend from the cooling body 301 to the inner surface of the shell 400, and be spaced with the inner surface of the shell 400. The shell 400 can comprise a bottom cover (not shown). The bottom cover is connected to the bottom opening 402. The bottom cover can envelop the bottom opening 402. The condensing section 202 of the heat pipe 200 can thermally contact the bottom cover.

The cooling cup 10 can comprise a handle 500. The handle 500 is formed on an outside of the shell 400.

The cooling cup 10 can comprise a lid 600. The lid 600 covers the upper opening 103 of the cup body 100. The lid 600 comprises a main body 601 and a connecting body 602 connected to the main body 601. The connecting body 602 is coupled to the cup body 100. In at least one embodiment, an external thread 603 is formed on an outside of the connecting body 602, an internal thread 108 is formed on the inner surface 105 of the cup body 100, and the external thread 603 is coupled with the internal thread 108. In other embodiments, the lid 600 can comprise a ring 604. The ring 604 is surrounded the connecting body 602, and located between the main body 601 and the cup body 100.

It is to be further understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description of embodiments, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only; and that changes may be made in detail, including in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A cooling cup comprising: a cup body; a plurality of heat pipes, each heat pipe comprising an evaporating section and a condensing section, the evaporating section thermally contacting the cup body, and the condensing section thermally contacting a heat sink.
 2. The cooling cup of claim 1, wherein the cup body comprises a bottom board and a surrounding wall, the surrounding wall is a tubular structure and defines an upper opening and a lower opening, and the bottom board envelops the lower opening.
 3. The cooling cup of claim 2, wherein the bottom board is a curved structure.
 4. The cooling cup of claim 3, wherein the bottom board protrudes downwardly from the lower opening of the surrounding wall.
 5. The cooling cup of claim 1, wherein the cup body comprises an inner surface, and a corrosion protecting layer is formed on the inner surface.
 6. The cooling cup of claim 2, wherein the evaporating section extends from the upper opening of the cup body downwards toward the lower opening perpendicularly, and extends from the lower opening to the bottom board.
 7. The cooling cup of claim 1, wherein the cup body comprises an outer surface, the evaporating section is attached on the outer surface.
 8. The cooling cup of claim 7, wherein the evaporating is buried in the outer surface of the cup body.
 9. The cooling cup of claim 7, wherein the evaporating section is a flat shaped structure.
 10. The cooling cup of claim 1, further comprising a thermal conductivity material sandwiched between the cup body and the evaporating section.
 11. The cooling cup of claim 1, wherein the condensing section extends from an end of the evaporating section along a direction away from the cup body.
 12. The cooling cup of claim 1, wherein the condensing section is a cylinder-shaped structure.
 13. The cooling cup of claim 2, wherein the heat sink comprises a cooling body, a plurality of contacting portions are defined on the cooling body, the condensing section of the heat pipe thermally contacts the contacting portion.
 14. The cooling cup of claim 13, wherein the number of the contacting portions is equal to the number of the heat pipes.
 15. The cooling cup of claim 13, wherein the heat sink further comprises a plurality of fins, the fins are formed around the cooling body, and the fins are spaced from each other.
 16. The cooling cup of claim 15 further comprises a shell, wherein the shell covers the cup body and the heat pipe.
 17. The cooling cup of claim 15, wherein a plurality of through holes are formed around the shell, and the holes are adjacent to the lower opening to expose the fins therethrough. 